Only Time Can Tell

Chapter 4

It was another ordinary day of fun yet there came an intruder. A handsome, charming and benevolent exchange student from Korea named Geun came. A lot liked him at an instant. He seemed like a threat to me. Aside from that, I saw him with Maya talking and he was holding her hand. It wasn't as if I cared. I mean she deserves to be happy if she's going into a relationship with him which I'm sure she won't. My fear indeed came true. Slowly, the people who admired me moved away from me until I had no one left. Even Soe went back with Kyaw that broke my heart. Guess she's just not the best for me. Why would I cry for her if I had a lot of suitors? I held on to that lie yet now, I'm back to the same old days where everyone avoided and scorned me. I didn't know who to run to anymore so I talked to my mother and she said that if there's one true friend, that's Maya. Maybe. Maybe it's about time to make amends with her. It's not that she's the only one left in my life. Well, maybe it is. I don't know anymore. But what I know is that I had to make it up to her.
Indeed. That's what I did. I approached her saying, "Maya, can we talk?" She responded, "What for, Khin? And why? Because you have no one else to talk to? Well, you said it yourself before. You don't need me anymore. Besides, you have your true friends with you. So if I were you, go!" I didn't expect her to say that. My heart was wounded badly. I took up the bravery to reply, "Maya, I didn't mean what I said." She quickly replied, "So why did you say it?" This time her eyes were beginning to form tears. I deserved her words. It was hard for me to admit but I owned up my mistake and answered her courageously, "Because I was a jerk. I was wrong to say that to the only friend who truly cared for me. I was wrong to do that to my best friend." There I admitted it. It was difficult but it was the truth. Then I looked at her eyes and found out we both had tears of pain from our eyes. She then freaked out, "Oh yes! Best friend! I'm your best friend! I'm just your best friend! That's all I ever was to you! You never noticed how I cared for you, the way I looked at you, the way I smiled at you, the way I treated you! You never noticed how I loved you! And I was so stupid of making the biggest mistake of falling in love with my best friend...I don't when, how, why this feeling started but one day, I woke up and there it is. I just knew myself, 'He's the man; the man I wanna be with for the rest of my life.' I love you and I was so foolish of thinking we ever had a chance!" Whoa. I was dumbfounded. Of all the things I was thinking she would say, that was not what I presumed. I hardly replied, "Maya, I'm sorry..." Before I could add any words she quickly reprimanded, "Sorry for what?" I knew it was my chance so I responded, "For everything...Maya can you give me a second chance?" Then she refuted, "Second chance to what? To hurt me again? No Khin. I'm done with you. Forget that we ever met." My world seemed to crumble when she said that. I later found myself begging. As she was about to walk away, I held her back, hugging her so she could feel my heart beating and pleading. I then begged, "Maya please...Please forgive me..." I knew I was so stupid but if I had to be, I would; anything just to have her back. I could feel her heart beating fast and how she muted a sniffle. "In time, Khin. But right now, please just let me be." She detached herself from my embrace and slowly walked away. I couldn't stop myself. I didn't even know what I felt or why I felt something strange in me. All I knew was that I wanted my Maya back. Before she gained more distance, I called on, "Maya, wait!" I held on to her, holding her as tight as I can on the arms. She struggled and complained, "Let me go!" I was about to beg more until Geun came and separated us from each other. He scolded, "Hey, Dude! Enough! She said enough!" She was now in his arms. If she just knew how painful it was seeing her being dragged by someone else. Along with pain was the feeling of anger. I carelessly contested, "Don't you dare interfere with our talk!" We were about to have a fist fight but good thing Maya stopped us saying, "Khin enough! He has the right to stop us!" I was flabbergasted when she said he had the right. What did she mean? Was she choosing him? So I asked, "What? Why? Maya, don't tell me you're choosing him over me?" Then she replied sharply, "Yes. I am choosing him over you Khin." I was once more astonished. It was as if the Maya in front of me was not the Maya I knew. Maybe this was how she felt when I pushed her away before. She gave me a lot of surprising responses today. But it's impossible for her to say that. So I reacted in disbelief, "No. I don't believe you. You just confessed your love to me and now you're-" Yet she cut me, "I had closure with you; not a confession because now I'm ready to move on and love someone who loves me; someone who is not you." Speechless was I upon hearing her answers. I just couldn't move anymore. I felt like my body was going to freeze along with my heart as I watched her walk away from me.